God, Country, Notre Dame Author: Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C. Pages: 331. Publisher: Doubleday. Price: $21.95 (hardback).

There was a joke at Notre Dame about its former president, the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, and his outside activities.

"What's the difference between God and Hesburgh?" students asked.

"God is everywhere; Hesburgh is everywhere, except Notre Dame."

In his autobiography, God, Country, Notre Dame, Rev. Hesburgh chronicles his life and service as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, an American and Vatican representative to many organizations and president of one of the most prominent Catholic universities in the country, Notre Dame.

Hesburgh's writing style in this book is amazing. The way he portrays his life, from Syracuse to South Bend, always seems to take an interesting twist. Nothing is predictable.

As the title of his book suggests, there are three things that are important to him in life. The most important of these is his service to God as a Catholic priest.

Ever since he was 6 years old, he knew he was going to be a priest, but not just any priest. He was going to become a priest of the Holy Cross, which would make him take three vows upon ordination. At the age of 26, Hesburgh took the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, which made a great impact on his life.

Probably the most important of those vows was obedience. What Hesburgh was told, Hesburgh had to do. In 1952, Hesburgh was ordered to be president of the University of Notre Dame, a position in which he served for 35 years.

During the time he was president, he served on many commissions, boards of directors and committees on higher Catholic education.

Helped to limit arms race

As the Vatican representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Hesburgh helped stop the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

At the conferences, the Americans wouldn't dare talk to any Soviets because of political differences. Hesburgh, however, could talk with anyone he wanted because he represented the Vatican, which was neutral.

He became friends with the head of the Soviet delegation, Vasily Emelyanov, and later introduced him to the head of the U.S. delegation, John McCone. They hit it off and encouraged their respective presidents to work out their differences.

Obviously, Hesburgh has many talents. One of them is writing. While not always using correct grammar, his book is an extraordianry example of what you can accomplish in life if you try. High school students looking for a role model or anyone wanting to know about a person they can truly admire will enjoy this book.